Art should be above religion, say Kerala artistes

When Mansiya’s mom died, she was denied a qabar (grave). The mahal committee felt she did not should have one particular as her daughter was practising a “Hindu art form”. Several years later, the 27-calendar year-old, who is pursuing her investigate in Bharatanatyam at Kerala Kalamandalam, was ousted for becoming a non-Hindu from a dance festival at Koodalmanikyam temple. The dancer states she has faced quite a few these types of incidents in the past, but this time the unexpected announcement arrived as a rude shock. A section of the artwork fraternity has expressed outrage and spoken up in assistance. 3 dancers pulled out of the competition in protest.

“I spoke up as it was not a stray incident involving an particular person. I am speaking for artistes who have been denied a stage, and against temple officials who inquire artistes to indicator a declaration about their spiritual id. I had the exact same knowledge at Guruvayoor, but the committee was well mannered. When they expressed problem about possible opposition, I made a decision not to participate and develop an concern,” says Mansiya.

For numerous performers, artwork is their religion and medium of worship, but that is questioned in a divisive environment. “Two a long time ago, a dancer-mate was excluded from a general performance at the very last moment as she belonged to an oppressed caste. She waited backstage in total costume for the some others to end. Do we have earned these kinds of humiliation?” she asks.

Mansiya started discovering classical dance as a 3-12 months-aged. Given that she belonged to a conservative Muslim loved ones, the journey was fraught with worries. “All my academics were quite supportive, but our mahal committee could not take Muslim women mastering Hindu dance and we have been expelled from the community. Ours is a quite religious spouse and children and my mom was a devout Muslim. When she was denied a qabar, we were shattered. Following the incident we severed all ties with our religion.”

Cyber bullying

Whilst many politicians and celebs are rallying at the rear of her, the artiste is struggling with serious cyber bullying. “I have been acquiring menace phone calls. This is the cause why most artistes continue being silent. They know it may possibly open a Pandora’s box and they will have to confront criticism from multiple quarters.”

Poorakali or Marathukali, an amalgam of melody and movements, is a ritualistic art type carried out by adult men through the Malayalam month of Meenam. A beginner earns the title of ‘Panicker’ just after numerous performances and Vinod was honoured with ‘Pattum Valayum’ and ‘Panicker’ in the mid-80s. A direct performer in a variety of temples, past yr the Vaniyillam Someswari temple committee replaced him with yet another artiste. “As for every custom made, the temple committee associates go to the Panicker’s house and escort him to the temple. But they refused to occur to my property because my daughter-in-legislation is a Muslim. I was specified two possibilities — either my daughter-in-legislation or I shift to a unique home. When I refused, they hired yet another artiste,” he claims. This yr 1 much more temple followed accommodate, citing it as a norm and triggering a controversy.

Vinod
| Photograph Credit: Special Arrangement

The incident has wrecked Kannur’s track record of being a city with a secular ethos. “In my 38 several years as a poorakali artiste, this is first time I am facing these kinds of a point. The worst is, it is a Thiyya (Ezhava) temple, a group that had a wonderful reformist chief in Sree Narayana Guru, who believed in ‘One caste, one faith, just one god’. These times, when I get an invite from a temple, I tell them about my daughter-in-law getting Muslim. Most of them have no complications, but I am continue to sceptical. We are normally booked a couple of several years in advance, but when the pageant really usually takes location the decision may modify,” he states.

The only optimistic result, claims Vinod, is the tremendous response to the information of his ouster. “I was setting up to stop undertaking, but I am inundated with calls asking me to remain solid and also featuring alternatives to carry out. As of now, I am scheduled to perform at two vital temples in 2023 and 2024,” claims Vinod.

Not a content consequence

In accordance to dancer Soumya Sukumaran, after the controversy broke out she lost the option to complete at the famed Shree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.

“Every year I carry out at the temple and this yr my programme was scheduled for April 13. A Hindu by delivery, I converted to Christianity when I was 18. I abide by the customs and rituals of both the religions and so considerably it has induced no problems in my dance career.”

Soumya could not carry out at the Koodalmanikyam temple possibly as she was not ready to create documents proving her faith. “After the problem was described widely in the media, Padmanabhaswamy Temple authorities said that if they permitted me, other non-Hindu dancers as well would insist on executing. Every yr I execute at almost 15 temples and I had no strategy about this non-Hindu norm. We require to transform the temple legislation to deal with this challenge. Until finally then these levels will be off-restrictions to several proficient artistes,” suggests Soumya.